Scientists at Harvard University and IBM are hoping to harness the
power of a million idle computers to develop a new, cheaper form of
solar power that could revolutionize the green energy world.

Researchers have launched the project using IBM's World Community
Grid, which taps into volunteers' computers across the globe to run
calculations on a myriad of compounds -- potentially shortening a
project that could take 22 years to just two years.

Harvard scientists are hoping the project will allow it to discover
a combination of organic materials that can be used to manufacture
plastic solar cells that are cheaper and more flexible than the
silicon-based ones typically used to turn sunlight into electricity.

The technology could be used to coat windows, make backpacks or line blankets to produce electricity from the sun's rays.

Technology to make the plastic cells already exists, but they are
not yet efficient enough to be rolled out in commercial products.

"It is not now cost efficient, although the materials are cheap
because it's plastic," said Alan Aspuru-Guzik, a chemistry researcher
at Harvard University.

The most efficient silicon-based photovoltaic solar cells convert
about 20 percent of the sunlight that strikes them into electricity.
For now, the organic cells can turn only about 5 percent of the
sunlight into power -- half the level needed to make the low-cost cells
a viable energy source.

The researchers plan to publish results of the work once they have discovered a possible combination of compounds.

TAPPING THE MATRIX

IBM developed its World Community Grid to advance research of
humanitarian projects, such as fighting cancer, dengue fever and AIDS.
The grid connects computers in homes or offices via the Internet with
program on each machine to run calculations that feed back to the
database.

"It's a way for people that have computers to do some good for the world," said IBM engineer Joe Jasinski.

With more than a million volunteers currently linked to the World
Community Grid, IBM said it had created a network with a massive
calculating capability that would rank it among the top 10 most
powerful supercomputers in the world.

Members of the grid download software to their personal computers
that run the calculations as a screensaver program on the machine when
it is turned on but not in use.

IBM includes security software to protect the participants' computers.

Such virtual networks are also in place to crunch data for other
projects, such as SETI's effort to sift through radio telescope signals
for signs of extraterrestrial life in the universe.